Secrets Break a Man
by Destielixer
Summary: The Great Gatsby AU. When Castiel is given an invitation to Gatsby's party he meets the very person that he hasn't seen awhile, Crowley. After learning Crowley's secret, it's up to Castiel if he wants to tell Crowley his own secret that might change their fate forever. Fill for SRS2013BR1 prompt. ONESHOT. Crowstiel.


**AN: My entry for Bonus Round 1 of SRS 2013. The prompt was along the lines of The Great Gastsby AU. And it was supplied by caramelkaren. Do leave me a comment to let me know what you liked about the story! And enjoy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story. This story is 100% fanmade for the fans by a fan. **

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Secrets Break a Man

The first time Castiel saw him, he wasn't quite so sure if he was the same man as before, Crowley had certainly changed a lot, but his smile, his smile was still the most beautiful, charming thing ever. Castiel stared at him from across the grounds of the party, watching as he interacted with the other prominent figures at the party. The mysterious Mr. Gatsby clearly hadn't told him in the invitation that Crowley would be here.

As he continued to look, his eyes met Crowley's and the other smirked and nodded to him in recognition. Castiel blushed, his stomach doing a little flip when Crowley had noticed him before he averted his eyes, moving through the crowds and getting lost in them. He couldn't do this. He shouldn't even be here. In a month's time he would be getting married to his fiancée Meg. This wasn't any time to be meeting the ghost of his past and rekindling any part of whatever they had had before.

"Dean I really think it was a bad idea to come to the party," he said when he found Dean getting drinks by the table set up at the poolside.

"Oh come on Cas, you've got to enjoy at least some of this right? I mean the women," Dean said indicating the scantily clad girls who were dressed in shimmery little pieces of cloth and dancing along the edge of the pool, "the booze, the food. This could very well be your last party to fool around at and it's better than you staying home with your head buried in books all day. You need to get out more," Dean said clapping him on the shoulder now, "And I wouldn't let you miss Gatsby's party for the world, what kind of friend would I be if I did?"

Castiel fell silent; he would do anything to not meet Crowley. Anything at all. "Maybe we should leave early then? Where's Sam?" He hadn't expected him to be here in the first place. He hadn't thought Crowley to be the kind to like these sorts of huge glamorous parties; maybe Crowley had gotten a personal invitation from Gatsby just like he had.

"Are you kidding? The party hasn't even started! Sam's probably off with Amelia in some quiet spot, either that or still on the dance floor. Don't worry Cas, we aren't going to stay the night here, we'll go home soon enough and you can go back to your books. Now if you'll excuse me, I need the washroom."

Before Castiel could protest Dean was headed back into the huge house and he was left alone nursing his wine as he took in the glittery glamour before him. The words 'sensory overload' came to mind as he took in the party and the loud music. He told himself it would be just awhile more. There were so many people at the party. The chances of Crowley finding him in this crowd would be lessened, or so he hoped.

"Can I get you something else to drink?" came the familiar voice and he turned to see the devil himself, Crowley in all his glory standing there and still looking as handsome as ever. He was decked out in a smart black suit and a blood red tie. His two favorite colours as Castiel had learnt.

Castiel shook his head, "No thanks. I'm fine," he answered.

"Not a fan of large parties are we?" Crowley asked.

"There isn't any privacy," Castiel muttered as he finished up his drink and placed it on the tray of a passing waiter.

Crowley nodded, "Indeed."

"I don't see why Gatsby throws large parties."

"Why else but to impress?" Crowley supplied, downing his glass of martini.

"He's wasting his money."

"For a good cause," Crowley replied, "come, walk with me," he said and propelled Castiel away from the poolside and towards the gardens now, leaving no time for him to say otherwise.

Castiel began to worry about being left alone with Crowley. He didn't trust himself to be alone with the man and given their explosive argument before Crowley had left…he didn't think that Crowley would want to see him again either which was why he was surprised by what he said next.

"I'm glad you came to the party I was beginning to think that you were angry with me."

"There was no reason to be angry with you," Castiel answered him, walking beside him now as they fell into step. Each time the words to break the news about his fiancée to Crowley came up, Castiel pushed them down, putting the information right in the back of his mind. Crowley didn't need to know. One month was still a long time away.

"I seem to recall you saying otherwise," Crowley reminded him.

Castiel knew that it wasn't Crowley's fault that he had left him and gone off to create a name for himself. He didn't want to be nobody in the society of the rich and glamorous and Castiel could understand that. But the least Crowley could do was to have taken him together with him. "That was a long time ago," he answered. _'And so many things have changed since then.'_

"So you're alright with it now?"

Castiel gave a small nod, "You made a name for yourself. I'm happy for you," he didn't want to say more than that.

Crowley chuckled, "That's it?" he asked, stopping in his tracks now, "You're not going to say you're impressed by it all? Because I was expecting more than just that," he said.

"What do you mean?" Castiel said turning to look at Crowley. The pale light of the moon washed down upon the man as he stood there hands in his pockets looking expectantly to him as though he expected him to have the answer already. Whatever Crowley was trying to get at, Castiel couldn't guess.

"For someone who reads a lot you can't put two and two together," Crowley said walking up to Castiel so that they stood close to each other. "I'm Gatsby," he murmured.

Castiel blinked, "You're…Gatsby?" he whispered his brain trying to make some sort of connection and failing. "How?"

Crowley took his hands out from his pockets and reached to take both of Castiel's hands in his, "I told you I would make a name for myself, aren't you proud of me?"

Castiel nodded. Crowley was always different towards him; more caring, gentler and Castiel liked this side of him better. He squeezed Crowley's hands as his cheeks coloured at their close proximity, "Why didn't you come and look for me?"

"You aren't that easy to track you know. It took me awhile to find your address. That's why I always held those parties hoping that one day you might hear about it and come waltzing through those doors but you never came," Crowley said, his disappointment evident in his voice.

He indicated that they should walk, still holding Castiel's hand as they walked together in the garden, beneath the moonlight, "Then I heard from the people that there was a man who lived right across the bay from here and that he rarely attended parties because he was cooped up reading."

"And you sent the invitation," Castiel finished, seeing Crowley nod in confirmation.

"Then I played the waiting game, watching as the guests filled up the place as usual every night. I was beginning to think the rumors were wrong, stupid people and their gossip," Crowley commented as he led Castiel up the steps of the gazebo, "Then I saw you, standing at the head of the stairs, blue eyes scanning the pool area and you looked at me and I swear," Crowley whispered, drawing Castiel to him, a hand on the small of his back, "I wanted to rush to your side and hold you in my arms but you fled."

Castiel cautiously leant into Crowley, "I…was afraid. I didn't know how to face you. I hadn't seen you in so long and then suddenly I do and…I missed you. You should have brought me with you." _'So that I wouldn't have to be engaged…'_

Crowley made a noise of satisfaction as he embraced Castiel, pressing the other's body to his, "I've missed you too, bookworm," he murmured, closing his eyes his nose buried in Castiel's hair, breathing in his familiar scent. It was worth it. The odd jobs that he did to get the money to get him to where he was now, it was all worth it if it meant that he could have Castiel with him like this. They were both born different, Castiel was born into richness, it was in his blood. He on the other hand had been born into poverty and he'd always dreamed big and here he was one of the richest men alive, well his alias Mr. Gatsby was anyway.

Crowley tucked his finger under Castiel's chin, raising the man's blue eyes to his, "Now I can say that I'm on par with you," he whispered, his voice raspy. It drew Castiel in and he let himself go as he leant in to Crowley's hold feeling their lips brush and the familiar rush of a current of electricity as it coursed through him at their touch. Crowley deepened the kiss, his hands moving into Castiel's hair, gently angling his head now as they kissed.

Castiel whimpered into the kiss, the way Crowley's tongue gently gave a searching sweep through his mouth started a feeling of growing pain in his chest as his throat tightened. If only Crowley knew that they couldn't be together…Castiel pulled away from the kiss then, clinging to Crowley as a sob escaped his lips and the tears began to fall. To think that he would never feel this strong an emotion of love for someone else again, it saddened him.

_'It's too late,' _Castiel thought as he felt the tears trailing down his cheeks.

Crowley let his hand stroke up and down Castiel's back comforting him as the man clung to him and cried. He didn't understand why Castiel was so overwhelmed with sadness. Yes they hadn't seen each other in a long time but they were here now and they had the long future laid out right before them.

"Hey Cas," he whispered resting his chin on Castiel's head, "It's going to be all right. We'll get through this together," he assured him. That seemed to trigger more tears and it made Crowley just a little worried now.

Was there something that Castiel wasn't telling him? Crowley didn't want to ask so he stood there holding Castiel to him as the man sobbed and he comforted him. Both still holding on to their own secrets as they stood there in each other's embrace.

_-FIN-_


End file.
